Football in St. Gregory
This article is about association football (soccer). For information about American football, see American football in St. Gregory. Association football is the leading sport in [[St. Gregory|'St. Gregory']], both in terms of popularity as a spectator sport, and in participation. Football first overtook cricket as the most played sport in St. Gregory in the late 1970s, and the sport saw its biggest growth period in the 1980s and 1990s. It continues to grow steadily, even with the increased influence of American sports such as baseball, basketball and American football. The sport in the territory is governed by the St. Gregory Football Association, an affiliate of both CONCACAF and FIFA. History Early years Historical records show that football was played in St. Gregory as early as the 1900s, introduced first by the British and later to the western part of the island by the French. Cricket had already been established on the island by the British in the late 19th Century and remained popular due to the tropical climate, however by the end of World War I, football began to grow in popularity. In the 1920s and 1930s, teams from Europe and South America would occasionally visit St. Gregory and play exhibition matches against teams of local players, in order to increase interest in the territory. These games would usually end in lopsided victories for the visitors, but participation continued to experience a steady growth with the arrival of more immigrants from other parts of the world. The territory's first organized football competition, the League of Northern St. Gregory (LNSG), was established in 1963 and invited clubs from Warner Bay, Cape Wells, Helena Point and Port St. Christopher -- but not from St. Gregory's most populous city, Bonneville. This was seen by many in the west and south of the island as being anti-French, due to the population in the north and east being predominantly English. As a result, the League of Southern St. Gregory (Ligue Sud-Saint-Grégoire; LSSG for short) was established, with membership purported to be open to clubs from all cities and cultures. Establishment of the SGFA Both the LNSG and LSSG were largely self-policing, with no actual organizational body to govern them. As more clubs began to join (over 50 clubs were registered between the two leagues by 1975), it was apparent that a national governing body would need to be established to regulate football across St. Gregory. At the same time, the rapid growth of television meant there was a desire building among both investors and fans for a professional league in St. Gregory that could take the sport to the next level. After months of deliberation among club presidents, players and businessmen, the St. Gregory Football Association was chartered on January 12, 1979, with a six-team professional league, known as the SGFA Championship, due to begin play that October. National teams Men's :Main article: St. Gregory national football team The St. Gregory men's national team was first established in 1985, but was not recognized by FIFA until 1996. The team first attempted FIFA World Cup qualification for the 2006 tournament, but has never qualified for the Finals. Traditionally, the national team wears royal blue shirts with red trim, white shorts and blue socks, however blue shorts have been worn in recent years. Women's :Main article: St. Gregory women's national football team The St. Gregory women's national team was established in 1997. The team will attempt qualification for the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time for the 2019 tournament. Youth St. Gregory also fields teams at Under-18 and Under-20 level. Competitions Professional leagues The territory's main football competition is the three-tiered league system. A total of 48 teams compete in the professional leagues – the top-tier League A, second-tier League B and third-tier League C – with 16 teams in each. The leagues operate on a system of promotion and relegation, with at least two (sometimes three; see below) teams being promoted and relegated between the three tiers each season. Notable clubs include Bonneville United F.C., who have the most League A championships with 10; FC Chapman, who have 9; and New Castle F.C. and Zane Hills F.C., the only two clubs to have played in every SGFA Championship/League A season. SGFA Cup The SGFA Cup is the territory's primary knockout tournament, held annually since 1981. It is considered the second-most prestigious title in St. Gregory after the League A championship. SGFA Shield The SGFA Shield is a minor trophy, officially a super cup, that is contested at the beginning of every season between the previous season's League A and SGFA Cup winners. Category:Sport in St. Gregory